System for data transfer

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a system for data transfer between a server and a respirator which comprises a source for breathing gas, and at least one interface to enable a data transfer, a device for determining data, a control unit, a memory, and a timer unit for specifying a system time. The respirator is configured to give the data a timestamp, to store them and to transfer them at a later point in time. The system is configured to ensure that collected data are correctly stored and assigned.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of patent application Ser. No.16/380,782, filed on Apr. 10, 2019, which claims priority under 35U.S.C. § 119 of German Patent Application No. 102018002997.3 filed onApr. 12, 2018. The entire disclosures of the foregoing applications areexpressly incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a system for data transfer between aserver and a respirator.

2. Discussion of Background Information

Therapy with respirators is known in the prior art, and respiratorsincreasingly comprise digital interfaces for data exchange. Therespirators generally comprise at least one interface to enable a datatransfer. For the purpose of data exchange, the respirators are oftenfitted with an interface for data exchange with a network. It isconventional in the prior art that such an interface can be implementedin a wired form, for example as an RJ45 data interface, or wirelessly,for example as a WLAN, mobile radio, IoT, M2M or Bluetooth interface.

A large amount of data can be exchanged over such a data interface. Thesoftware of the respirator can, for example, be updated by means of anupdate through access to remote data, as described in DE 10 2015 008 946A1, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

Treatment data, such as settings, measured values of therapeutic orphysiological parameters, or also patient data, can furthermore betransmitted to a remote device, for example to a server, for storing andmaking available to third parties, as described in EP 2 392 253 A1, theentire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

The solutions known from the prior art however have the disadvantagethat data, in particular patient data, that are required for a furtheranalysis, can be incorrectly assigned in the event of a system error,for example a wrongly set clock time such as can result when changingbetween summer and winter time. Data can, for example, be displayed asif collected on a different day. This causes significant problems whenassigning the data during the transfer.

When, in particular, the data are not transferred in real time, but areto be transferred at a later point in time, an incorrect clock time canhave the results that the transferred data cannot be assigned and arethus unusable.

In view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to have available asystem for data transfer that ensures that the collected data can becorrectly stored and assigned.

This object is achieved by a system for data transfer in accordance withclaim 1 of the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a system for data transfer between aserver and a respirator wherein the respirator comprises a source forbreathing gas and at least one interface to enable a data transfer, adevice for determining data, a control unit, a memory, and a timer unitfor specifying a system time. The data transfer can, for example,comprise a transfer of daily statistical values that are transferred asone unit at the end of the day. If the transfer is disrupted, the dailystatistical values are stored and are transferred coherently on anotherday. Alternatively, a data transfer can be carried out by means of anapplication. A further alternative is the exchange of data betweendiagnostic devices.

According to the invention, the respirator is configured to give thedata a timestamp, to store them and to transfer them at a later point intime, wherein the timestamp is designed so that it cannot be adjusted,or can only be adjusted to a limited extent to a tolerance window. Thisoffers the advantage that it is possible to establish on what date andat what time the data were recorded or the therapy was performed. It isalso possible to ensure that the date and the clock time in therespirator are sufficiently correct without them being manuallyadjustable. “At a later point in time” means that the respirator isdesigned not to transfer the data in real time, but to store themtemporarily in a memory and to transfer them at a later point in time.The timestamp is specified as a rule by an external time provisionservice, for example a time server. The respirator is typicallyconfigured to communicate at least once with the time provision service.The generated timestamp is stored with the respective date on therespirator, and transmitted together with the data during a transfer.

In a development of the invention, the system is designed to carry out acomparison of a system time of the respirator with a server time of theserver on the basis of the timestamp when the data transfer is started.A data transfer is also referred to as telemonitoring. The system timeis defined by means of the timestamp. The server time is defined by theserver. As a data transfer/telemonitoring is beginning, the system isdesigned to communicate the timestamp or the system time of therespirator to the server.

In a further development, the respirator is designed to receive a systemtime from the server and to adjust the system time automatically. Thishas the advantage that the correct time is set automatically.

In one embodiment, the server is designed to assess a difference betweenthe system time and the server time, and to convey a correspondingassessment to the respirator. The server is designed to receive the datatransmitted from the respirator, in particular the timestamp or thesystem time. The server is designed to compare the system time with theserver time and to establish a difference. Optionally, the server can bedesigned to maintain a tolerance window within which differing times(system time from server time) are tolerated and are deemed by theserver to be correct. Such a tolerance window can, for example, bebetween 0.1 seconds up to 1 minute.

In a further development according to the invention, the respirator isdesigned to perform a login of the respirator at the server on the basisof the assessment of the system time by the server. The respirator canhere decline a registration depending on the assessment of the systemtime. The server is designed to transmit the assessment to therespirator. On the basis of the assessment transmitted by the server,the respirator is designed to carry out a login of the respirator at theserver for data transfer. If the assessment of the server finds that thesystem time differs or is outside the tolerance window, the respiratoris designed to decline a login at the server for data transfer. If thesystem time of the respirator is within the tolerance window, or if itdoes not differ from the server time, the respirator is designed topermit a login at the server for data transfer.

In a further development of the invention the system time is againmanually set by a user, wherein the server controls the respirator toprompt the user to specify the system time, so that a defined agreementwith the server time is achieved. A prompt to specify the system timeis, for example, given to the user if the system time is outside thetolerance window or differs from the server time.

In a further development of the invention, the respirator is designed,on the basis of the assessment of the system time by the server, torequest a system time correction from a user in order to perform thelogin at the server. Only after the new system time has been manuallyspecified by the user and a renewed assessment of the system time by theserver, and an agreement between the system time and the server time,can a login of the respirator take place at the server.

In one embodiment, the system is designed to prevent an adjustment ofthe system time by the user when the respirator has already oncesuccessfully logged in. This offers the advantage that the system timecannot be accidentally/deliberately altered by a user. As a rule,however, the system time can be adjusted on a test bed or via a serviceaccess at the device. As a rule, the system time cannot be set back tobefore the end of the last stored therapy.

In a further embodiment, the respirator is designed to transmit the dataand the system time to the server via the interface. The respirator isusually designed to comprise an interface that is suitable for datatransfer.

In a further embodiment of the invention the data and the system timeare transferred from the respirator and stored in a server memory ifthere is defined agreement between the server time and the system time.Through the transfer of the data and system time from the respirator,the memory space that these data have occupied on the respirator isagain released.

In a further development of the invention, the respirator receives atimestamp from a time server at least at certain times. As a rule therespirator is designed to carry out a time comparison of its system timewith a server time of a time server at least once a day. Othercomparison intervals can, alternatively, be set. A comparison can, forexample, take place weekly.

In a further development, the time server makes the timestamp availableover the Internet or a mobile telephony network or a local wirelessnetwork (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth), or is a PC or a time clock or a device. Thisoffers the advantage that a best possible access of the respirator to aserver is enabled according to local conditions.

In a development according to the invention, the respirator,alternatively or in addition to the timer unit, comprises an internalcounter that continuously generates new counter states which are storedtogether with the data, wherein the current counter state is conveyed tothe server with every data transfer. By conveying the current counterstate with each data transfer, the server, which knows the currentserver time, can in this way determine an association between thecounter state and the date.

In a further development the server compares the current counter statewith the server time, and performs an association between the counterstate and the server time, and assigns the data, and thereby the oldcounter states that are assigned to the data, also chronologicallycorresponding to the server time. This makes it possible to compare theinternal counter state with the server time.

The present invention further provides a system for data transferbetween a server and a respirator wherein the respirator comprises asource for breathing gas and at least one interface to enable a datatransfer, a device for determining data, a control unit, a memory, and atimer unit for specifying a system time.

According to the invention, the respirator at least sometimes places thedata in the memory and assigns the system time as a timestamp to thedata, wherein the system time is transmitted via the interface to theserver, wherein the server comprises a server timer unit for theprovision of a server time and a comparison apparatus, wherein thecomparison apparatus compares the server time with the system time andin the event of a defined agreement between the server time and thesystem time transmits the data from the respirator and places them inthe server memory, and wherein the respirator, in the event of a defineddeviation between the server time and the system time prevents thetransfer of data from the respirator until the system time is newlyspecified in such a way that a defined agreement with the server time isachieved, wherein the newly specified system time is applied to thetimestamp in the memory of the respirator in such a way that a newtimestamp is assigned to the data, whereupon the data is transferred tothe server with the new timestamp. This offers the advantage that data,for example patient data, is given a correct timestamp during atelemonitoring/a data transfer, and can thereby be correctly assignedduring the further processing. As a rule, data that have already beenstored retain their timestamp, and data generated in the future aregiven a new timestamp according to the new date. The system canoptionally prescribe a tolerance window within which a deviating systemtime is assessed as correct. A tolerance window can, for example, bebetween 0.1 seconds and 1 minute. In the presence of the deviation, theuser is typically prompted to set the system time before it is possibleto begin a data transfer.

The present invention further provides a system for data transferbetween a server and a respirator wherein the respirator comprises asource for breathing gas and at least one interface to enable a datatransfer, a device for determining data, a control unit, a memory, and atimer unit for specifying a system time.

According to the invention the respirator is designed to give the data atimestamp, to store them and to transfer them at a later point in time,wherein the timestamp is designed such that it cannot be adjusted, oronly adjusted to a limited extent to a tolerance window, wherein thesystem is designed to carry out a comparison of a system time of therespirator with a server time of the server on the basis of thetimestamp when the data transfer is started, wherein the system time ismanually adjustable before the respirator is logged in to the server,wherein the server is designed to assess the manually adjusted systemtime before a login at the server and to compare it with the servertime. The server is designed to check the system time through comparisonwith the server time at the first login. If the system time deviatesfrom the tolerance window, the user is forced to correct the time beforelogging in at the server.

The present invention further provides a system for data transferbetween a server and a respirator wherein the respirator comprises asource for breathing gas and at least one interface to enable a datatransfer, a device for determining data, a control unit, a memory, and atimer unit for specifying a system time.

According to the invention the respirator is designed to give the data atimestamp, to store them and to transfer them at a later point in time,wherein the timestamp is designed such that it cannot be adjusted, oronly adjusted to a limited extent to a tolerance window, wherein thesystem is designed to carry out a comparison of a system time of therespirator with a server time of the server on the basis of thetimestamp when the data transfer is started, wherein the respiratorcomprises a display time that is designed to differentiate itself fromthe system time by up to 24 hours. In this way the user is able toreceive a display of the correct local time (time zone) on a display ofthe respirator, and to change between winter and summer time. As a rulethe system time is stored with the stored data as the timestamp. Thedisplay time (or a difference between the display time and the systemtime) can optionally be stored, so that when examining and evaluatingthe data, the information relating to the local time of the user/patientcan also be examined.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in moredetail below with reference to highly simplified schematicillustrations. Here:

FIG. 1 shows a basic structure of a respirator,

FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the system for data transferaccording to the invention.

The same design elements are each given the same reference numerals inthe figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The particulars shown herein are by way of example and for purposes ofillustrative discussion of the embodiments of the present invention onlyand are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be themost useful and readily understood description of the principles andconceptual aspects of the present invention. In this regard, no attemptis made to show details of the present invention in more detail than isnecessary for the fundamental understanding of the present invention,the description in combination with the drawings making apparent tothose of skill in the art how the several forms of the present inventionmay be embodied in practice.

FIG. 1 shows the basic structure of a respirator 12. A breathing gaspump is arranged in the interior of the device in the region of a devicehousing with operating panel 28 and display 29. A connecting hose 32 isconnected via a coupling 31. An additional pressure measuring hose 33,which can be connected to the device housing via a pressure inlet nozzle34, can run along the connecting hose 32. The device housing 12comprises at least one interface 30, 14 to enable a data transfer. Ahumidifier can be fitted by means of an adapter.

An exhalation element is arranged in the region of an extension of theconnecting hose 32 that faces away from the device housing 12. Anexhalation valve can also be used.

FIG. 1 furthermore shows a patient interface 35 formed as a breathingmask 10 which is realized here by way of example as a nasal mask. Afixing in the region of a head of a patient can take place by means ofheadgear 36. The patient interface 35 comprises a coupling element 37 inthe region of its extension that faces toward the connecting hose 32.

The input and/or output of data such as, for example, dead space volume,can take place via the interface 30, 14. The interfaces 14, 30 can berealized in wired form, as an infra-red interface, as a Bluetoothinterface, a mobile telephony interface, an IoT or M2M interface, or asUSB.

The respirator 12 according to the invention is designed so that it canbe connected to a patient via a hose and a patient interface 10 in orderto provide respiration. It comprises a source for breathing gas whichis, for example, designed as an electric motor with a fan wheel, and anapparatus for determining pressure and/or flow and/or volume of thebreathing gas, as well as a control unit which is designed such that foreach breathing cycle it determines a breathing gas pressure on the basisof a predetermined value for the patient and/or on the basis ofmeasurement signals for the parameters of pressure and/or flow and/orvolume, and regulates the source for breathing gas such that thebreathing gas pressure is generated.

The respirator 10 has a memory for storing data that represents theperiod of usage and the therapy quality and, in addition, thefunction/servicing of the device.

The control unit is, furthermore, designed such that it determines thecurrent pressure and/or flow and/or the volume of breathing gas, andrepresents the current value via a display connected to the controlunit. The control unit is, moreover, designed such that it determinestrend changes in its calculations of one or more parameters over time,wherein the trend changes can be displayed on the display.

Recorded data can also be transferred via a modem or another interface30, 14.

The respirator 12 shown in FIG. 1 is suitable for use in a system 10 fordata transfer according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the system 10 for data transferaccording to the invention. The system according to the inventioncomprises the server 11 as well as the respirator 12. The respirator 12comprises at least one source for breathing gas 13, at least oneinterface 14, 30 to enable a data transfer, a device 15 for determiningdata 16, a control unit 17, a memory 18 and a timer unit 19 forspecifying a system time 20. The respirator 12 assigns the system time20 to the data 16 as a timestamp, and places the captured data in amemory 18. As a rule the system time 20 or the data 16 with thetimestamp 21 are conveyed via the interface 20 to the server 11.

The server 11 comprises a server timer unit 25 for the provision of aserver time 22 and a comparison apparatus 26. The comparison apparatus26 compares the server time 22 to the system time 20 and in the event ofa defined agreement between the server time 22 and the system time 20transfers the data 16 from the respirator 12 and places it in the servermemory.

If a deviation between the server time 22 and the system time 20 occurs,the respirator 10 prevents the transfer of data 16 from the respirator10 until the system time 20 that achieves a defined agreement with theserver time 22 is again specified. The respirator 10 can set up atolerance window, within whose range a difference between the systemtime 20 and the server time 22 will be tolerated by the respirator 10.In the presence of a deviation of the system time 20 from the servertime 22, the respirator 10 will output a prompt to a user 38 of therespirator 10 to set the system time 20.

The newly specified system time 20 is applied to the timestamp 21 in thememory 18 of the respirator 10. A new timestamp 21 is here assigned tothe respective data 16. The data 16, with the newly assigned timestamps21, are transferred to the server 11 and assessed again. If there is anagreement between the new system time 20 and the server time 22, therespirator 10 is logged in to the server 11, and the data 16 aretransferred to the server 11.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   10 System-   11 Server-   12 Respirator-   13 Source for breathing gas-   14, 30 Interface-   15 Device for determining data-   16 Data-   17 Control unit-   18 Memory-   19 Timer unit-   20 System time-   21 Timestamp-   22 Server time-   23 Time server-   24 Internal counter-   25 Server timer unit-   26 Comparison apparatus-   27 New timestamp-   28 Control device-   29 Display-   30, 14 Interface-   31 Coupling-   32 Connecting hose-   33 Pressure measuring hose-   34 Pressure inlet nozzle-   35 Patient interface-   36 Headgear-   37 Coupling element-   38 User

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for data transfer between a server and arespirator, wherein the respirator comprises a source for breathing gas,at least one interface to enable a data transfer, a device fordetermining data, a control unit, a memory, and a timer unit forspecifying a system time, the respirator being configured to give thedata a timestamp, to store the data and to transfer the data at a laterpoint in time, and the system being configured to ensure that collecteddata are correctly stored and assigned.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the system is configured to carry out a comparison of a systemtime of the respirator with a server time of the server on the basis ofthe timestamp when the data transfer is started.
 3. The system of claim1, wherein the respirator is configured to receive a system time fromthe server and to adjust the system time automatically.
 4. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the server is configured to assess a difference betweensystem time and server time, and to convey a corresponding assessment tothe respirator.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the respirator isconfigured to perform a login of the respirator at the server on thebasis of an assessment of a system time by the server.
 6. The system ofclaim 1, wherein when a system time is again manually set by a user, theserver controls the respirator to prompt the user to specify a systemtime, so that a defined agreement with a server time is achieved.
 7. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the respirator is configured, on the basis ofan assessment of a system time by the server, to request a system timecorrection from a user in order to perform a login at the server.
 8. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to prevent anadjustment of the system time by a user when the respirator has alreadysuccessfully been logged in once.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein therespirator is configured to transmit the data and a system time via theinterface to the server.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein when thereis defined agreement between server time and system time, the data andthe system time are transferred from the respirator and stored in aserver memory.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the respiratorreceives at least sometimes a timestamp from a time server.
 12. Thesystem of claim 11, wherein the time server provides the timestamp overthe Internet, or a radio telephony network, or a local radio network(Wi-Fi, Bluetooth), or is a PC or a radio clock or a device.
 13. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the respirator comprises, alternatively or inaddition to the timer unit, an internal counter that continuouslygenerates new counter states which are stored together with the data,the current counter state being conveyed to the server with every datatransfer.
 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the server compares thecurrent counter state with a server time, and performs an associationbetween the counter state and the server time, and assigns the data, andthereby old counter states that are assigned to the data, alsochronologically corresponding to the server time.
 15. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the system is configured to carry out a comparison of asystem time of the respirator with a server time of the server on thebasis of the timestamp when the data transfer is started, the respiratorbeing configured to receive a system time from the server and to adjustthe system time automatically.
 16. The system of claim 1, wherein thesystem is configured to carry out a comparison of a system time of therespirator with a server time of the server on the basis of thetimestamp when the data transfer is started, the respirator beingconfigured to receive a system time from the server and to adjust thesystem time automatically, and the server being configured to assess adifference between the system time and the server time, and to convey acorresponding assessment to the respirator.
 17. The system of claim 1,wherein the respirator is configured to receive a system time from theserver and to adjust the system time automatically, the respirator beingconfigured to perform a login of the respirator at the server on thebasis of an assessment of the system time by the server.
 18. The systemof claim 1, wherein the respirator at least sometimes places the data inthe memory and assigns a system time as a timestamp to the data, whereinthe system time is transmitted via the interface to the server, whereinthe server comprises a server timer unit for the provision of a servertime and a comparison apparatus, wherein the comparison apparatuscompares the server time with the system time and in the event of adefined agreement between server time and system time transmits the datafrom the respirator and places them in a server memory, and wherein therespirator, in the event of a defined deviation between server time andsystem time prevents the transfer of data from the respirator until thesystem time is newly specified in such a way that a defined agreementwith the server time is achieved, the newly specified system time beingapplied to the timestamp in the memory of the respirator in such a waythat a new timestamp is assigned to the data, whereupon the data istransferred to the server with the new timestamp.
 19. A system for datatransfer between a server and a respirator, wherein the respiratorcomprises a source for breathing gas, at least one interface to enable adata transfer, a device for determining data, a control unit, a memory,and a timer unit for specifying a system time, wherein the respirator isconfigured to give the data a timestamp, to store the data and totransfer the data at a later point in time, wherein the system isconfigured to carry out a comparison of a system time of the respiratorwith a server time of the server on the basis of the timestamp when thedata transfer is started, wherein the system time is manually adjustablebefore the respirator is logged into the server, and wherein the serveris configured to assess a manually adjusted system time before a loginat the server and to compare same with the server time.
 20. A system fordata transfer between a server and a respirator, wherein the respiratorcomprises a source for breathing gas, at least one interface to enable adata transfer, a device for determining data, a control unit, a memory,and a timer unit for specifying a system time, whereein the respiratoris configured to give the data a timestamp, to store the data and totransfer the data at a later point in time, wherein the system isconfigured to carry out a comparison of a system time of the respiratorwith a server time of the server on the basis of the timestamp when thedata transfer is started, and wherein the respirator comprises a displaytime that is designed to differentiate itself from the system time by upto 24 hours.